Award-winning Novelist Margaret Atwood Joins MasterClass to Teach Creative Writing

SAN FRANCISCO, July 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- MasterClass, the online education company that enables anyone to learn from the best in the world, announced today that Margaret Atwood will offer her first ever online class exclusively through its platform. Atwood's creative writing class is now available for pre-enrollment at www.masterclass.com/ma. Enrollment for the class is $90 for lifetime access, or $180 per year for the All-Access Pass, which grants unlimited access to all new and existing classes.

Margaret Atwood, arguably one of the world's best fictional writers, is an award-winning and prolific author of more than fifty novels, books of poetry, and critical essays. Her 1985 dystopian novel, The Handmaid's Tale, was adapted into the Emmy-winning TV series on Hulu, now in its second season, and was the best-selling book on Amazon in 2017. Atwood's Booker Prize-nominated 1996 novel, Alias Grace, was also adapted to a TV series for Netflix. Her recent works include a book of short stories, Stone Mattress: Nine Tales; and the MaddAddam trilogy. Unrestricted by genre barriers, Atwood has explored nearly every form of writing – including comic books, with her 2016 superhero series Angel Catbird. She is the recipient of dozens of awards, including the Booker Prize for her novel, The Blind Assassin; the Giller Prize in Canada and Premio Mondello in Italy for Alias Grace; and lifetime-achievement awards from the National Book Critics Circle, PEN Center USA, and the Canadian Booksellers' Association.  

"Creativity is one of the most essential things about being human," said Atwood. "Storytelling is very ancient; the novel is a more modern form of storytelling. Like every other creative endeavor, novel-writing is partly learn-by-doing. In my MasterClass, I'm happy to share how I wrote my stories, and my processes and tips, with people who want to write fiction themselves."

In her MasterClass, Atwood will share her approach to fiction writing and her storytelling philosophy, which encourages students to look for inspiration in real events that have taken place throughout history. She will teach her process for writing speculative and historical fiction, and discuss novels based on dystopian societies. Students will learn techniques Atwood uses to keep readers engaged – how to developing compelling plots with complex structures, how to choose a narrative point of view, and how to create nuanced characters. The class will also give students a glimpse of Atwood's research materials and the first handwritten draft of The Handmaid's Tale, as well as the manuscript draft materials of Alias Grace.

"Margaret roots her writing in reality, making readers believe even though they know it's fiction," said David Rogier, co-founder and CEO of MasterClass. "Her stories are discussed at dinner tables all over the world because they feel eerily real and relevant, and her impact on fictional storytelling has been profound. We hope her class will help students translate what's happening in the world today into their own works that readers will reflect on and critique for many years to come."

MasterClass provides educational, inspiring, and engaging classes taught by the world's greatest minds in photography, cooking, film, writing, acting, music, sports, journalism, and more. With more than 35 classes that dive into philosophies, processes and techniques, MasterClass helps students progress more rapidly towards their own mastery. It offers a unique learning experience, including video lessons, interactive exercises, course materials, peer interaction, and more. All classes are available online as part of an annual subscription, or for individual purchase, at www.masterclass.com; or via the MasterClass app for iPhone and iPad, available for download on App Store at: http://m.onelink.me/7a2592d8.

ABOUT MASTERCLASS
Founded in 2015, MasterClass started with the idea that everyone should have "access to genius." The premier online education platform provides affordable, engaging, and inspirational online classes taught by world-renowned instructors, making it possible for anyone to learn from the best.

MasterClass' current roster of courses includes:

Culinary Arts: Gordon Ramsay (cooking), Alice Waters (home cooking), Thomas Keller (cooking techniques), Wolfgang Puck (cooking)

Film and Television: Werner Herzog (filmmaking), Martin Scorsese (filmmaking), Ron Howard (directing), Helen Mirren (acting), Samuel L. Jackson (acting), Judd Apatow (comedy), Spike Lee (filmmaking)

Music & Entertainment: Armin van Buuren (dance music), Christina Aguilera (singing), Usher (performance), Reba McEntire (country music), Herbie Hancock (jazz), Deadmau5 (music production), Hans Zimmer (film scoring), Steve Martin (comedy)

Writing: James Patterson (writing), Aaron Sorkin (screenwriting), Shonda Rhimes (writing for television), David Mamet (dramatic writing), Judy Blume (writing), Malcolm Gladwell (writing), RL Stine (writing for young audiences)

Design, Photography, and Fashion: Annie Leibovitz (photography), Frank Gehry (architecture), Diane von Furstenberg (how to build a fashion brand), Marc Jacobs (fashion design)

Sports and Games: Serena Williams (tennis), Stephen Curry (shooting, ball-handling, and scoring), Garry Kasparov (chess), Daniel Negreanu (poker)

Politics & Society: Jane Goodall (conservation), Bob Woodward (investigative journalism)

Science: Chris Hadfield (space exploration)

For more information, please visit www.masterclass.com.

Embed & view the trailer for Margaret Atwood's MasterClass below:
https://youtu.be/lbMPDk7CF6g

Download stills here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vw02j2nvjbnmf0a/AAB9RajW-p0xF-cWj8quL-eda?dl=0
Courtesy of MasterClass

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SOURCE MasterClass